Battery module comprising module housing

Abstract

A battery module, and a battery pack having a module housing capable of effectively increasing an energy density while enhancing the heat dissipation efficiency, includes a cell assembly having a plurality of secondary batteries; and a module housing having at least one sidewall and configured to accommodate the cell assembly in an inner space defined by the sidewall. The sidewall has at least one coolant flow path, and at least one injection hole is formed in an outer surface of the sidewall so as to extend to and communicate with the inner space.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A battery module, comprising:
 a cell assembly having a plurality of secondary batteries; and 
 a module housing having at least one sidewall extending along a respective plane and configured to accommodate the cell assembly in an interior space defined by the at least one sidewall, the at least one sidewall having two or more coolant flow paths defined within the at least one sidewall between an outer surface and an inner surface of the at least one sidewall, and the at least one sidewall having a rib positioned between the two or more coolant flow paths, the rib extending transverse to the respective plane from the outer surface to the inner surface of the at least one sidewall, and the module housing having at least one injection hole positioned in the outer surface of the at least one sidewall, the at least one injection hole extending within the rib and extending transverse to the respective plane so as to extend to and communicate with the interior space. 
 
     
     
       2. The battery module according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a thermally conductive material disposed in the interior space of the module housing between the cell assembly and an inner surface of the module housing. 
 
     
     
       3. The battery module according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one sidewall includes a plurality of sidewalls, including an upper wall, a lower wall, a left wall and a right wall, 
 wherein the two or more coolant flow paths are defined in a first one of the sidewalls, the first one being either the upper wall, the lower wall, the left wall or the right wall, and 
 wherein the two or more injection holes are located in the first one of the sidewalls where the two or more coolant flow paths are located. 
 
     
     
       4. The battery module according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the two or more coolant flow paths extend through both a front end and a rear end of the at least one sidewall of the module housing, and 
 wherein the two or more coolant flow paths have an inlet formed at the front end of the at least one sidewall so that a coolant flows in therethrough and an outlet formed at the rear end of the at least one sidewall so that the coolant flows out therethrough. 
 
     
     
       5. The battery module according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the module housing further includes a guide groove recessed within an inner surface of the at least one sidewall, the guide groove extending longitudinally along the at least one sidewall. 
 
     
     
       6. The battery module according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 two or more backflow prevention members located at an inner surface of the at least one sidewall in which the two or more injection holes are located, the two or more backflow prevention members each having a cover configured to open a respective one of the two or more injection holes only in an inward direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The battery module according to  claim 1 ,
 further comprising two or more stoppers configured to seal the respective two or more injection holes to prevent an external substance from entering the module housing. 
 
     
     
       8. The battery module according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one injection hole includes two or more of the injection holes spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval along a longitudinal dimension of the module housing, and wherein the two or more of the injection holes are defined within the rib. 
 
     
     
       9. A battery pack, comprising two or more battery modules according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. The battery pack according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the two or more battery modules are provided such that the two or more coolant flow paths of a first one of the two or more battery modules and the two or more coolant flow paths of a second one of the two or more battery modules are connected to each other. 
 
     
     
       11. A vehicle, comprising the battery pack according to  claim 10 .